The compound 3-(4-biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid is known and its preparation is described in the literature, D. H. Hay, et al., J. Chemical So., 1030 (1940) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,701. The 3,784,701 patent discloses the use of 3-(4-biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid in the treatment of inflammation and pain and mentions that the compound possesses immunological activity. To the best of our knowledge, however, no art is known which is concerned with the use of 3-(4-biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid in inhibiting platelet aggregation or with the treatment of thrombotic conditions such as those resulting from the aggregation of blood platelets.
The aggregation of blood platelets is an important mechanism in thrombosis, and as the degree of platelet aggregation increases the tendency of thrombus formation also increases. We have shown that 3-(4-biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid inhibits the aggregation of blood platelets of warm-blooded animals. 3-(4-Biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid can be useful antithrombotic agent in the treatment of well known thrombotic conditions resulting from platelet aggregation. Such conditions include, for example, arterial thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, myocardial infarction, thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic conditious which may develop spontaneously following surgery, trauma or disease processes such as coronary occlusion and congestive heart failure. 3-(4-Biphenylcarbonyl)propionic acid may also be useful extrinsically in preventing the clotting of shed and/or stored blood and it is contemplated that its use as a platelet inhibitor extends both to in vivo and in vitro platelet aggregation inhibition. The active compound of this invention may be merely added to the blood in vitro to prevent or inhibit platelet aggregation.
Numerous platelet aggregation inhibitors are known such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,692,836; 3,721,738; 3,735,005; 3,794,729; 3,795,582; 3,809,753; 3,859,288, and 3,862,319.